Hospital Makes Changes Following Surgical Error

Regulatory agencies forced a hospital in Massachusetts to make changes following a surgical error that stemmed from the incorrect identification of a patient. St. Vincent Hospital is now in good standing after filing an acceptable corrective action plan.

In October, the hospital was notified that it would be removed from the Medicare and Medicaid agreement on December 12 if they did not make corrective action. That action was the result of staff not following proper patient identification procedures. The lack of procedure resulted in a July 20, 2016 surgery in which a healthy kidney was removed from a patient. That patient was incorrectly identified prior to surgery.

An investigation by the Department of Public Health discovered issues within the hospital with regards to patients’ rights, medical record services, and quality assessment and performance improvement. The hospital was found to lack “substantial compliance” with regulations.

As a result of the investigation, the hospital was required to develop and put in place an “effective, ongoing, hospital-wide, data-driven quality assessment and performance improvement program.” The corrections made were confirmed during a follow-up visit on November 17. After the visit, it was determined that the hospital had been returned to good standing.

When a person visits the hospital, they should not have to fear for their health and safety. It should be presumed that the correct procedure will take place, and that one patient will not be confused for another. With the right regulations in place, instances such as this are far less likely to occur.

If you have been the victim of medical malpractice in New York, you have legal rights. Reach out to our team of experienced medical malpractice attorneys today to schedule an appointment for a free case evaluation. Call now or browse our website for more information about our firm and the types of cases we handle.

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